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On Saturday, January 7, the Bulls and BMO will partner to host their 5th annual Pride Night – a celebration of the Bulls’ year-round initiatives to support the LGBTQIA community in Chicago and beyond. The partnership between the Bulls and BMO on Pride initiatives stretches back to 2016, the first year the two marched together in Chicago’s annual Pride parade. This season’s Pride Night will take place at the United Center during the Bulls’ home game vs. the Utah Jazz.

The night will tip off with a private pre-game event for the members of the BMO Pride Employee Resource Group (ERG), including dinner and a performance by world-renowned drag performer Aria B. Cassadine. The Bulls will continue working with BMO’s Pride ERG throughout the season. On January 13, they will partner to host a panel featuring executives from organizations across Chicago to share their personal coming out journeys with students from the Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) at Foreman College and Career Academy and Back of the Yards, George Washington and Chicago Academy High Schools.

The ball presenter for the game will be a representative from the Lighthouse Foundation of Chicagoland – a Black and queer-led, multiracial social justice organization that works toward advancing justice for Black LGBTQIA people across Chicagoland through empowerment, education and entertainment. Last summer, the Bulls partnered with Lighthouse to provide its members with professional development opportunities, including professional headshots, a promotional video for the nonprofit filmed and edited by BullsTV – the team’s in-house film production crew – and a workshop on web analytics led by Bulls Digital Partnership Manager Serena Yeh.

Before the game, fans will enjoy a National Anthem performance by the Windy City Gay Chorus and Treble Quire from Windy City Performing Arts – a local nonprofit whose performances aim to inspire change, celebrate diversity and honor the dignity of the LGBTQIA community.

Fans will also enjoy an in-game video highlighting Bulls’ community partner Swish Queer Basketball Club, founded in 2020 by Jamiece Adams. Swish, Chicago’s first queer, trans, BIPOC-centered basketball league, began its partnership with the Bulls in 2021 when the team sponsored a space for Swish members to play and build community throughout the winter. The Bulls also funded Swish’s anniversary dinner last May, gifted members with Bulls gear and invited them to compete in the Bulls Fest 3v3 basketball tournament. At Bulls Fest, Swish members also met and connected with one of the festival’s headline performers – Chicago-native, rapper and member of the LGBTQIA community Da Brat.

A highlight of the night will be a special Pride Night halftime performance – “Bulls Entertainment Celebrates Pride,” created by Broadway producer JT Horenstein. The performance, which will feature Benny the Bull, the Luvabulls, 312 Crew and Incredibulls, will commemorate the LGBTQIA community’s contribution to pop-culture, music and fashion and will include appearances from Aria B. Cassadine as the show’s “Fairy Drag Mother” and local trans performer Angelica Grace.

In addition to the halftime show, Bulls Entertainment will offer the stage to The Happiness Club, a local nonprofit that provides free performing arts education programming for Chicago youth ages 8-18 to empower them to pursue their passion for performance and become positive activists in their communities through art. On Saturday, youth from The Happiness Club will perform an original song “Shake That Stress Off” and dance for fans.

Saturday also marks the giveaway of the second hat of the BMO Artist Hat Series – a collection of six hats designed by local artists, showcasing their unique interpretation of the Bulls brand. While supplies last, fans will receive the featured hat of the night designed by LGBTQIA designer Katie Lukes. On Pride Night and beyond, the Bulls are dedicated to celebrating the LGBTQIA community and their right to be who they are. Through community investment, connecting with queer youth across Chicago and ensuring basketball is accessible and welcoming for all, the Bulls will continue to support and celebrate Pride.

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<a title="2023 End of Season Media Availability LIVE beginning at 12:30 pm CST." href="https://www.nba.com/bulls/bullstv/live">2023 End of Season Media Availability LIVE beginning at 12:30 pm CST.</a>